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SE26 



April, 1918 



THE CHICAGO 
PATRIOTIC FOOD SHOW 

A BRIEF REVIEW OF 
ITS MAIN FEATURES 



By 

MARY SWAIN ROUTZAHN 

DEPARTMENT OF SURVEYS AND EXHIBITS 
RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION 



Reprinted from The American Food Journal 
Vol. Xlll, No. 2, February, 1918 



Department of Surveys and Exhibits 

Russell Sage Foundation 

New York City 



Price 5 Cents 



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The Chicago Patriotic Food Show 

By Mary Swain Routzahn, 

Department of Surveys and Exhibits, Russell Sage Foundation. 

This review was prepared solely as an office memorandum and not 
for publication. The author agrees to share these informal notes 
with our readers with the expectation that their character will not be 
misunderstood. — Editor's Note. 

THE Chicago Food Show was significant because it was a 
patriotic educational enterprise, and it was managed as such 
throughout. 
The plan was initiated by the State Council of Defense, whose 
members delegated its management to a business man, Mr. Louis 
Stumer. Mr. Stumer gave his services and carried out the work 
with a few salaried associates and a number of volunteers. 

Floor Plan. 

The floor plan was one of the most satisfactory arrangements 
that I have seen. The scheme was a division into five main sec- 
tions of proteins, fats, sugar, fruits, vegetables and starches. As 
you entered the Coliseum you faced a semi-circular group of five 
attractively decorated archways leading into the five sections. 
Over each archway, in large illuminated letters, fully 3 feet 
high, was the name of the section. As you entered one of the 
sections you found a demonstration space, running the full length 
of it (40 feet) with an aisle on either side. This space was an 
oblong surrounded by broad counters. Facing the demonstration 
booth, on two sides, were a series of booths containing the com- 
mercial exhibits appropriate to that section. For example, when 
you had passed through the arch into the sugar section, in the 
center you saw demonstrations of the preparation of foods with 
the use of sugar substitutes. By reference to your Patriotic Cook 
Book you found the numbered recipe for the demonstration. 
Across the aisle on either side you saw displayed samples of the 
various sugar-saving products that were used in the demonstra- 
tion. 

Along the walls of the hall were government exhibits of the 
Department of Agriculture, the Fisheries Bureau, the Army and 
Navy, and so on. 

This scheme made it simple to take in at a glance the whole 
Show so that you knew what there was to see and could choose 
what you would give your attention to. It did away with the con- 

3 



fusion that is usually felt in an exposition where there is a be- 
wildering array of booths and no particular logic in their arrange- 
ment. 

Demonstrations. 

The demonstrations were conducted by the home economics de- 
partment of colleges and schools. There were students of the 
schools in constant attendance with teachers in charge. These 
demonstrations were made especially useful by the sale of a cook 
book prepared for the Show and containing recipes demonstrated 
at the Show. The cook book (72 pages) sold for 5 cents. 

The two ends of the demonstration space were used for prepa- 
ration of foods and the sides for serving samples of these foods 
to visitors and for answering their questions. Each demonstra- 
tion booth had a complete kitchen equipment. 

Uses of Signs. 
All of the signs used in the demonstration booths and in the 
United States Food Administration exhibit were supplied by the 
Food Show management. The demonstration divisions appa- 
rently turned in as much copy as they wished and the signs were 
made up on blank white cards with black letters, according to the 
sign writers' ideas of arrangement. There was no attempt to 
reduce the amount of copy or to suggest a lay-out which would 
display the words to advantage. The food demonstration booths 
were literally plastered with heavily-worded signs of many sizes 
and shapes that took away considerably from the attractiveness 
of their appearance. An opportunity was lost here in not placing 
this sign preparation in the hands of an exhibit director who 
would on the one hand help the exhibitors to make their material 
more interesting and suitable, and on the other hand guide the 
sign writers in making layouts that would present the material 
more attractively and clearly. Again, an opportunity was lost in 
not providing cards more attractive in appearance and not having 
definite rules laid down as to the places where such cards could be 
displayed. 

The Management. 

Initiated by the State Council of Defense. 
Managed by a volunter business man, Louis Stumer. 
Exhibits directed by Robert G. Gould, publisher of the Ameri- 
can Food Journal, Chicago. 

Demonstrations directed by Mrs. Lynden Evans, director of the 
Chicago School of Domestic Arts and Sciences, assisted by the 
following schools and colleges : 

University of Illinois. 

University of Chicago. 

Chicago Public Schools. 

Lewis Institute. 



Chicago School of Domestic Arts and Sciences. 
A few volunteer committees were formed for the following 
special assignments : 

Sale of space. 

Advance sale of tickets. 

Construction and decoration. 

Advertising and publicity. 

Auditing. 

Hostesses. 

There was no attempt to organize committees on a large scale 
or to get work done through committees. 

The detail work was very largely carried out by the manager 
himself and by such individuals as would give their time liberally. 

It was expected by the management that the cost, estimated at 
about $20,000, would be covered by the sale of space and tickets. 
Their plan in case of a surplus was to use it for patriotic pur- 
poses. 

Commercial Exhibits of Food by Manufacturers. 

The sale of space for these exhibits was managed by a food 
specialist who was careful to admit only such exhibits as con- 
formed to the Food Administration's program. Each exhibitor 
agreed to have his exhibit carefully censored and to conform to 
the rules laid down as to what claim he might make for his prod- 
uct, through his exhibit, printed matter, and demonstrations. 

The importance of having a show of this kind managed by a 
non-commercial group was strikingly illustrated by the Chicago 
Show. It was necessary in a number of cases to censor exhibits 
and in some instances even after the Show had started, displays 
were entirely changed because they did not come up to the re- 
quirements. For example : one packer showed a tempting dis- 
play of the meats whose use is especially discouraged by the Food 
Administration. This exhibit was changed to one snowing the 
cheaper cuts of meats and the kinds and the substitutes for meat 
that the packer had for sale. 

In several instances the extravagant claims of the exhibitor 
were caught up and stopped. Further, the commercial exhibits 
had but limited significance except as the exhibitors carried out 
suggestions made by the management. The manufacturers as a 
whole displayed very little imagination and originality in bringing 
out the features of their products that are most significant for 
food conservation. The manager of the Show told me that if he 
had it to do over again he would have made a much greater effort 
to show the exhibitors how they could make their displays educa- 
tional and at the same time good advertising for themselves. 



Publicity. 

The publicity methods used were chiefly the following : 

Newspaper publicity. 

Newspaper advertising. 

Advertising through billboard, car card and window card. 

Window displays in large department stores. 

Sales of blocks of tickets to large business and manufacturing 
houses. 

The participation of large numbers of people, particularly school 
children. 

Two special features that were used to make copy for news- 
paper use were : 

A daily program of music and speaking, which included a num- 
ber of prominent speakers. 

The appointment of a woman prominent socially for each day 
with a group of assistants selected by her. 

A striking feature of the Show that made good copy was the 
mess hall conducted by the Army on exactly the plan used in the 
Army camps. 

The advance sale of large blocks of tickets was a particularly 
good method for increasing attendance. Whereas the regular 
admission price was 25 cents, employers and others could ob- 
tain tickets in advance for 15 cents each. Some of them 
bought tickets numbering in the thousands to distribute to em- 
ployes. Department stores sold tickets at 15 cents in advance 
to their customers. 

Window Displays. 

An excellent example was afforded of the high degree to 
which window trimmers have developed exhibit technique in 
comparison with the exhibitors and educational leaders. 

In connection with the Show the larger department stores 
each devoted one window to a display on food conservation. 
Comparing these windows with the displays at the Show itself, 
one would be immediately struck with the contrast between the 
effectiveness of the windows and utter ineffectiveness of most 
of the exhibit displays. Each of the window trimmers had an 
idea which he carried out with attention to every detail. One 
or two of them had exhibits that were among the best I have 
seen at any time. Incidentally I learned that the Food Show 
management had first approached the managers of the depart- 
ment stores and having obtained their consent, arranged a meet- 
ing of window trimmers. At this meeting the purpose of the 
Food Administration was given and such literature as they de- 
sired distributed. Each window trimmer was then left to work 
out the idea for himself. 



Summary of Criticisms of the Show. 

Favorable Features : 

i. The control of the whole enterprise by a non-commercial 
committee interested solely in making it an effective educational 
enterprise. 

2. The prominent featuring of the educational demonstra- 
tions with the commercial exhibits made subordinate to the dem- 
onstrations. 

3. The excellent scheme by which the cook book was made to 
serve as a guide to the demonstrations. A number posted in each 
demonstration booth corresponded to the number of the recipe 
in the cook book, thus visitors took home directions for carrying 
out what they saw. 

4. The excellent floor plan and the attractive appearance of 
the whole Show. 

5. The excellent exhibit of the Army in the form of a mess 
hall, serving meals to visitors. 

6. The window exhibits in department stores as an advance 
advertising feature. 

7. The advance sale of blocks of tickets through commercial 
and manufacturing firms and schools. 

Unfavorable Features: 

1. The lack of provision for effective exhibits in connection 
with the demonstrations. 

2. The unattractive and badly arranged signs used in the 
demonstration booths which contrasted with the finished appear- 
ance of the construction and equipment. 

3. Insufficient use by the majority of the commercial exhibit- 
ors of opportunities for making their exhibits educational. 

4. The lack of training of the demonstrators to meet the 
audience and get over to them the significant features of their 
demonstration. (This may have been improved as the Show 
progressed. My judgment is based on the first two days of the 
Show only.) 

5. The musical program given throughout the afternoon and 
evening which made it extremely hard for the demonstrators to 
be heard. The music was in direct competition to the educational 
work of the Show. 



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